Rapido has obtained a formal cab aggregator licence from the Karnataka State Transport Authority. This regulatory approval, granted under the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016, permits the company to run four-wheeler ride-hailing operations across the state until August 2031.
Pavan Guntupalli, cofounder of Rapido, noted that this authorisation allows the business to bolster its cab services within a clear regulatory framework. The startup currently serves 21 cities throughout Karnataka, including locations such as Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Belagavi.
The platform reports a network of over 3 Lakh captains and a user base of 2 Cr registered customers within the state. Beyond its ride-hailing operations, Rapido has joined the state government’s Urban Mobility Mission, an initiative focused on integrating technology across transit systems and improving first- and last-mile connectivity.
While the new licence covers four-wheeler services, Rapido’s bike taxi operations remain tied to an ongoing legal dispute after the Karnataka government challenged a High Court ruling allowing bike taxis in the Supreme Court.
Founded in 2015 by Pavan Guntupalli, Aravind Sanka, and Rishikesh SR, the company has diversified its platform to include metro ticket bookings and various travel services like bus, train, and flight reservations.
Financially, the startup reported a 30.3% reduction in losses to ₹258.4 Cr for the financial year ended March 2025, while its top line grew 44.2% to ₹934.4 Cr compared to the previous fiscal year. To date, Rapido has raised more than $1.5 Bn in funding from investors including Accel, WestBridge Capital, and Nexus Venture Partners, following a $240 Mn funding round led by Prosus in May 2026 that valued the company at $3 Bn.
